Pregnancy Cravings Explained: When They Start and How to Handle Them

Nearly every pregnant woman will experience pregnancy cravings. Some women crave flavours like salt, sweet, sour, or spicy, and some have weird pregnancy cravings, too! Although we don’t know exactly why pregnancy cravings happen, there are two theories that medical professionals say contribute to why women crave certain foods.

A myth that is yet to be proven about pregnancy cravings is if you crave savoury foods you’re more likely to be expecting a boy, and sweet foods if you’re expecting a girl. A known fact is your senses are heightened during pregnancy which can cause pregnancy cravings or aversions to foods and smells.

When Do Cravings Start in Pregnancy?

Pregnancy cravings typically start in the first trimester but there is no set timeframe of when these cravings can come and go. Some women experience different cravings throughout their pregnancy that wean off and others last the whole nine months!

Early Signs of Pregnancy Cravings

One of the early signs of pregnancy is craving certain foods. In the first four months of pregnancy, you will most likely crave a specific type of food and then this slowly wears off. If your pregnancy cravings continue past this point, it is worth noting with your doctor so they can check for any nutritional deficiencies. 

First Trimester vs. Later Stages

Throughout your pregnancy, it’s essential for both your health and your baby’s to eat a balanced and nutritional diet. Your body’s nutritional needs will change as you navigate each trimester and this will most likely show through the foods that you crave too. 

You might be craving sweet things during pregnancy or a craving for cereal. Pregnancy cravings and aversions to foods and smells can change as your hormones fluctuate.

What triggers pregnancy cravings?

Your heightened senses, hormone changes, and nutritional requirements during pregnancy all have a part to play in causing pregnancy cravings. A food you craved a few weeks ago could be one you’re now avoiding! 

Non-food pregnancy cravings must be shared with your doctor as it can indicate that you have a nutritional deficiency or a condition called “Pica”. Craving for non-food things like paper, charcoal, dirt, or laundry detergent could mean you are anaemic (iron deficiency). 

The Most Common Pregnancy Cravings

Pregnancy cravings know no bounds and can be intense, unwavering, or weird! Weird pregnancy food cravings include non-food items that serve no nutritional value or foods that you wouldn’t typically eat by themselves. 

Sweet and Salty Cravings While Pregnant

Craving sweet things during pregnancy is common but can often lead to an increase in high-sugar and fatty foods being consumed. Just because you are craving a certain food, doesn’t mean it’s going to be good for you! There are some healthy food alternatives you can swap in to help you through and stop you from bending to those pregnancy cravings. 

Craving salt during pregnancy is just as common and should be balanced carefully in your diet to give you both a balanced, nutritious diet.

Popular Pregnancy Cravings

In no particular order, and by no means includes all of the pregnancy cravings out there, a list of popular pregnancy cravings! Are there any you have experienced?

• Pickles

• Ice-cream

• Fruit (particularly citrus fruits)

• Crisps

• Sour cream

• Steak

• Cereal

• Vegetables

• Fast foods (e.g. salty or spicy takeaway foods)

• Sweets

“Before I was pregnant, I struggled to eat apples without my mouth itching. It was a very mild reaction and would go away within 10 minutes. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I craved apples! I gave it a try one day and my mouth wasn’t itchy at all. Ever since that pregnancy, I’ve been able to eat more fruits without reacting - crazy!” ~ Fran, mum to Hallie and Logan.

Weird Pregnancy Cravings

Some pregnant women can develop weird pregnancy cravings. It’s not that uncommon to see the cravings of a pregnant woman mix sweet and salty in the same meal. For example, biscuits with pickles and adding salt to fruit. Strange to everyone else, incredibly satisfying to expectant mums!

Whilst some women get weird pregnancy food cravings, others experience cravings for non-food items. Ice is a popular non-food craving, however some women can get cravings for dirt and laundry detergent! If you start to get cravings like these, consult your doctor for further advice. It goes without saying, these are not cravings that you can indulge in!

Why do some women crave spicy food?

If spicy food is a natural part of your cuisine and culture, you may crave spicy food during pregnancy even more because it’s comforting. Spicy foods release endorphins in the body which results in giving you a mood boost - a welcome feeling if things become unsettling or overwhelming. 

If you eat spicy food during pregnancy, it can also help to increase your metabolism and make you sweat more. This in turn will help you to feel less heavy after a meal - another welcome feeling when you’re carrying a tiny human! 

Managing Pregnancy Cravings

There are a few tried and tested methods to ease pregnancy cravings, so you don’t feel like it’s a constant battle of choosing whether to indulge or not. Especially with non-food pregnancy cravings, it’s interesting to find out what your body is deficient in, and how you can satisfy this (in a much safer way!) with your diet. 

Pregnancy Cravings Tips for Expecting Mums

• Prepare snacks in advance - if it’s convenient, you’ll eat them. Preparing snack pots and storing them in the fridge is a great way to curb any unhealthy sweet cravings. You can prepare pots of fruit, vegetable sticks with sour cream or houmous, salty crackers, yoghurt, or overnight oats for a boost in energy. 

• Remember to take pregnancy vitamins - there are some vitamins which your doctor will recommend you take, like folic acid, during pregnancy. However, it’s a good idea to top up on other vitamins too to prevent yourself from developing any deficiencies and pregnancy cravings. Your pharmacist or doctor will be able to advise you which pregnancy vitamins are best.

• Hydrate your body - it’s incredible how drinking a glass of water can switch you from feeling snacky to satisfied. Drinking enough fluids throughout the day will keep your appetite in check and keep you energised too. So there is little reason to indulge in any pregnancy cravings because water has done the job for you. 

Healthy Alternatives to Common Pregnancy Cravings

If you’re craving sweet things during pregnancy, these might satisfy your sweet tooth. Instead of eating chocolate, sweets, and ice cream, why not try:

• Banana ice cream (Mashed bananas blended with milk, served frozen)

• Plain or flavoured yoghurt with honey or dark chocolate shavings

• Fruit salad (served on its own or with yoghurt)

• Baked cinnamon apples

• Fruit or herbal tea with lemon or honey

If you’re craving salty food while pregnant, some of these healthier alternatives might appease your appetite.

• Crackers and cheese

• Pickles

• Olives

• Plain or seasoned rice crackers with houmous

• Nuts and seeds

• Popcorn (lighter and comes lightly salted)

Keeping some of these quick snacks prepped and ready to go will help you conquer any unhealthy pregnancy cravings but still feel as though you are acknowledging the craving.

Intense Pregnancy Cravings and When to Be Concerned

We’ve briefly talked about a condition called “Pica” which a small number of pregnant women can develop. Pica symptoms show when you start to crave non-food items and you want to smell or taste them. As unusual as this may sound, this is your body’s way of saying “I don’t want to eat dirt, just pick out the bits with the iron in it!”.

If you start to get intense cravings that are unhealthy for you and your baby, seek advice and support from your healthcare professional. They can advise you on what nutrients or vitamins you are deficient in - this includes anaemia - and what you can do moving forward. 

Listen to Your Body

Pregnancy cravings come and go. You can want something one minute and be completely over it the next. There might be times when you just need to eat that specific food - and that’s ok! Do you want chocolate? Eat a square instead of the whole bar and see how you feel.

Overindulging because you succumb to a pregnancy craving isn’t healthy for you or your baby. It’s important to recognise this and find healthy food swaps where you can, stay hydrated, and keep as active as possible. Wearing a pregnancy support belt can help you stay active during the day as it supports your bump, back, and core muscles when you move.

Your calorie intake increases but it isn’t doubled when you’re pregnant - don’t fall into the trap of eating for two and using this to justify your pregnancy cravings.

Conclusion

Pregnancy cravings are a phase that will pass. Just like all the other phases, you are yet to experience with your baby! Our bodies are pretty clever at communicating with us to get what we need nutritionally, and with heightened senses during pregnancy, cravings are a natural part of this. 

You can still appease pregnancy cravings through a healthy, balanced diet and indulging in a small treat shouldn’t cause any worry. If you have any questions about pregnancy cravings, consult our in-house maternal experts for even more tips, tricks, and advice.